eball Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 here's an idea: get rid of the fuggin' southern (florida, tampa, atlanta, carolina) and western teams (phoenix, anaheim, san jose, los angeles) and market the league where people actually give a damn -- in the northeast, midwest, and canada. expansion isn't always good. in this case, it has ruined the league. i love hockey and i live in north carolina -- as much as i've enjoyed going to hurricanes' games, this area can't support the NHL because the native interest isn't there. i'm guessing the same holds true for the cities referenced above. "contract and strengthen" should be the NHL's motto right now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like A Mofo Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Its over ladies and gents.....screw this league....I hope it goes under... NHL done 2/14/2005 It should come as no surprise to anybody, but the end is near. It's expected the National Hockey League will put out an advisory later today that it is calling a news conference for tomorrow afternoon in New York, at which time NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is expected to officially cancel the 2004-05 regular season and playoffs. Individual NHL clubs are said to be planning their own local news conferences immediately following Bettman's announcement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dib Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 I'm past caring. My son's 2nd season begins soon and he plays because he likes it, not for the fat paycheck. Let these guys go out and earn a real pay check, not these fortunes for playing a game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg de'Ville Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 ...you know what I'd like to see more of on TV? College hockey. Those kids play their tails off and the atmosphere at most campus arenas is electric. About all the college hockey I get in my neck of the woods is the NCAA regional finals and Frozen Four. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zamboni Man Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 here's an idea: get rid of the fuggin' southern (florida, tampa, atlanta, carolina) and western teams (phoenix, anaheim, san jose, los angeles) and market the league where people actually give a damn -- in the northeast, midwest, and canada. expansion isn't always good. in this case, it has ruined the league. i love hockey and i live in north carolina -- as much as i've enjoyed going to hurricanes' games, this area can't support the NHL because the native interest isn't there. i'm guessing the same holds true for the cities referenced above. "contract and strengthen" should be the NHL's motto right now... 238195[/snapback] I'd agree with all those teams outside of San Jose, they have a great fan base. We can all pretty much agree that LA isn't going anywhere either considering it's the largest market in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 get rid of the union . and play Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerJ Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Both the players and ownership have made mistakes. Ownerships mistake was to be evasive about hockey earnings. The league should have offered long ago to a mutually agreed (by management and union) upon auditor to make a thorough review of the earnings of every team so everyone knew what the financial reality was. I suspect the ownership is being honest about the fact that a number of teams have been in financial trouble, but they need to publicize the hard figures. The bigger mistake belongs to the players in my opinion. They think the gravy train has no end. They are dead wrong. The fan base doesn't justify the salaries they are being paid. Under the expired collective bargaining agreement major league hockey was a house of cards ready to collapse. The league needs a salary cap tied to revenue in order to remain viable, and ultimately to survive. If I were management, I would be about ready at this point to scrap the NHL as we knew it. Create a new league with a salary cap in the constitution. Start with younger players if need be and charge minor league ticket prices. As players mature and new stars emerge, the salaries and ticke prices can be allowed to creep back up to more reasonable levels, though they can't be allowed to get out of hand like they were. Screw the union and the veteran players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFaninNC Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 If I were management, I would be about ready at this point to scrap the NHL as we knew it. Create a new league with a salary cap in the constitution. Start with younger players if need be and charge minor league ticket prices. As players mature and new stars emerge, the salaries and ticke prices can be allowed to creep back up to more reasonable levels, though they can't be allowed to get out of hand like they were. Screw the union and the veteran players. 238711[/snapback] IMHO - I would cut back on some of these expansion cities. I'd cut Carolina, Nashville, Florida, Atlanta, Phoenix and maybe Dallas. If you play in a city that never gets Ice - you must go for the good of the league. Then try an ECHL attempt at an overtime shootout - no more ties. and oh yeah - get rid of Bettman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 IMHO - I would cut back on some of these expansion cities. I'd cut Carolina, Nashville, Florida, Atlanta, Phoenix and maybe Dallas. If you play in a city that never gets Ice - you must go for the good of the league. Then try an ECHL attempt at an overtime shootout - no more ties. and oh yeah - get rid of Bettman. 238742[/snapback] You know, I could stomach shootouts but ONLY if they made a regulation or OT win worth 3 points. No way a game that ended in a tie should be worth 3 points (2 to the winner, 1 to the loser) and a real win should only be worth 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevbeau Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Both the players and ownership have made mistakes. Ownerships mistake was to be evasive about hockey earnings. The league should have offered long ago to a mutually agreed (by management and union) upon auditor to make a thorough review of the earnings of every team so everyone knew what the financial reality was. I suspect the ownership is being honest about the fact that a number of teams have been in financial trouble, but they need to publicize the hard figures. 238711[/snapback] I thought they did this??? I think they got Clinton's Sec. of Treasury to audit the books and report his findings. The NHLPA's response was that he was lying because the owners paid him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevbeau Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 I thought they did this??? I think they got Clinton's Sec. of Treasury to audit the books and report his findings. The NHLPA's response was that he was lying because the owners paid him. 238748[/snapback] OK, it was Arthur Levitt, Chairman of the SEC from 1993 to 2001 who did the audit. Here's a little blurb on it: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writ...ckout.glossary/ Audit: Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL owners spent $1 million for an "audit" of league finances by Wall Street icon Arthur Levitt. Relying on Levitt's "audit," owners claimed losses of $273 million in the 2002-03 season and another $223 million last season. The Levitt "audit" actually is a review of league finances. It lacks the certifications of a typical corporate audit, and it fails to document income from luxury boxes, club seats, arena advertising and naming rights. Instead of resolving financial issues, it has added new issues and added to player suspicion. (See also entry for "Trust.") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 If I were management, I would be about ready at this point to scrap the NHL as we knew it. Create a new league with a salary cap in the constitution. Start with younger players if need be and charge minor league ticket prices. As players mature and new stars emerge, the salaries and ticke prices can be allowed to creep back up to more reasonable levels, though they can't be allowed to get out of hand like they were. Screw the union and the veteran players. 238711[/snapback] Appealing, but the clubs have financial, binding obligations regarding arena rental and payments, other contracts etc., for both privately-owned and publicly-owned arenas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udonkey Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Game over http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylc=X3oD...ov=cp&type=lgns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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